Tumacacori National Historic Park

There’s a lot to see and do in southern Arizona – and, its finally cooling down enough to get out and do some exploring.  Last week we headed about 20 miles south along I-19 to Tumacacori.  Though it isn’t too far away, we most often go there with guests. But we haven’t been for a few years. So, after walking the dogs and grabbing a quick breakfast, off we went.

Leftovers

We had a great RV trip to the Pacific Northwest but are now back to the Southern Arizona Desert.  As I walked in the mornings in Sisters Oregon I was amazed at the changing landscape of new wildflowers appearing each day.  The interesting thing however is that I have the same feeling walking in my neighborhood in Arizona.  Each day in the spring brings new blooms on the cacti, succulents and wildflowers.   So I guess nature will provide

Back to the Fifties

In late July, on the return portion of our trip to OR and CA, we entered the Mojave Desert heat, and focused on driving with little time allotted for side trips.  However, I did want to see a bit of the old Route 66. So we stopped just east of Barstow, staying in a park on this famous route.  Unfortunately, Route 66, in that area, didn’t have many old buildings or museums for a “tourist” to visit. 

Devil’s Postpile National Monument (DPNM)

Traveling to Devil’s Postpile during the busy summer season, requires use of a shuttle bus system. The shuttles are a good idea – the road into this area is one lane and winding, going over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and down the western slope of the mountain range. 

Mammoth Lakes, CA

The town of Mammoth Lakes, located just east of Highway 395, on the eastern side of the Sierras, is a great stopover while traveling south on our way back towards Arizona.  This town is very much a tourist/resort destination. 

East Side of Yosemite NP

After arriving in the Mammoth Lakes area we decided to get a look at the eastern side of Yosemite National Park. Leaving Hwy 395, we traveled on Rt. 120 over Tioga Pass.  The road was very curvy with steep upward grades, plus there was some construction ongoing (quite a trip).  At the park entrance, the elevation was 9900+ feet.  This entrance put us into the high Sierra portion of the park.

Stopover in Alturas CA

From Crater Lake we overnighted in Alturas, CA.  It was a small park just off the highway, however getting directions from the park manager, who did not know street names, was an interesting exercise.  Complicating the matter was a festival in the city park which adjoined the RV park.  After many detours and tight squeezes we managed to get settled into a nice site.